Choices of War
by Lycus Umbra
Summary: Kunari was a soldier in the Fire Navy and when the Fire Prince was banished, she went with him in search of the Avatar. But when they finally found him, she struggles with the choices of war.
1. Chapter I: The Avatar

**I changed some bits from the series because it fit better in this story, I also made some characters a few years older. Reviews and pointers are always welcome ofcourse. I hope you enjoy.**

**Obviously I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I only made up the OC, Kunari.**

* * *

**Chapter I: The Avatar**

Cold air rushed through my lungs, filling them. Slowly I let the hot air escape my body, with all the thoughts and emotions, clearing my mind. I opened my eyes and looked at the three candles in front of me, they had long thin flames, almost reaching the ceiling.

There was a knock. For a second my eyes shot to the metal door of my room, losing my concentration and the flames extinguished.

I sighed, got up from the floor and opened the door. "General Iroh." I said and made a small bow for him. "To what do I owe the pleasure.?"

"Oh, I haven't been a general in years." The old firebender said, entering my dimly lit room. "I'm just Iroh now, remember.?" He said, making a small bow for me as well, making me smile.

"Very well," I paused for a moment, watching how his brown amber eyes started to glisten. "Iroh."

He started to roar with laughter. "Now keep it that way." He suddenly seemed to remember why he had come to my room and he cleared his throat, chasing away the remaining laugh. "Anyway, I wondered if you'd like to join me for dinner tonight."

"I'd love to." I said, nodding my head.

"I'll meet you on the deck in, say, half an hour.?" Iroh said, walking to the door and left after I nodded.

I gathered the robes I wore when I wasn't in my uniform and headed to the lower deck of the ship for a bath, the sound of my soldiers boots rang against the metal walls.

I sank deep into the hot water, closing my eyes. I had been on this ship for a long time. I had known General Iroh and his nephew, Prince Zuko, since I was a little girl. My family were highly honoured people at the royal court. It was almost a taboo for a woman to leave such a respected family and join the Fire Navy, I became a disgrace. But I was rather a disgrace than my mother's burnt toy.

"Good evening, Iroh, Prince Zuko." I said, bowing to each of them when I set foot on the deck and saw the two of them talking. The Prince turned to look at me, he looked angry. "Did I interrupt something.?"

"We'll continue this later, Uncle." The Prince said and took one of the two chairs that were still empty at the table.

Iroh looked at me. "Ah, Captain Kunari, please, have a seat." He waved at the empty chair across of him. After I had sat down food was brought out. Non of the other soldiers had ever had dinner with the Prince and his Uncle before, seems my family name _still_ has some benefits. I know it also helped getting me the Captain's position in the Navy. I talked a lot with Iroh, he was very pleasant company. He told me stories of his time as General and about the royal family. He was nice to every soldier, man or woman, good family name or a disgrace.

"Oh, look at that." Iroh suddenly said after a few minutes of silence. I glanced behind me and saw a bright blue light beam in the sky, it was beautiful against the deep blue sky and icy blocks.

"Finally." Prince Zuko said softly, standing up from the table. "Uncle, do you realize what this means.?" He asked, walking to the bow of the ship.

"I won't get to finish my dinner.?" Iroh asked, pouting and looking at his bowl of noodles with salted sea fish.

I heard the Prince pace around behind me. "No, it means my search is about to get to an end." I turned around and saw him point at were the light was just a moment ago. "That light came from an _incredible_ powerful source, it has to be him!" He almost yelled.

Iroh sighed at put down his bowl. "Or, it's just a celestial light." Zuko walked toward his Uncle, about to say something when Iroh continued. "We have been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get to excited over nothing." He took his chopsticks and shoved some of the noodles in his mouth. "Please, just sit and enjoy this dinner with our guest." he said after chewing.

"I need to capture the Avatar! I don't need company!" Zuko suddenly burst out in a yell. "Especially not hers. She is a disgrace, she has no honour!" He spat at me, looking at me with narrow eyes.

I looked away from his scarred face and chewed on my lip for a moment. "Please, excuse me." I said with a sigh and bowed to them before I left the deck, my robes flapping behind me in the wind.

"That little prick really needs to watch his words, not everyone is so tolerating as his uncle." I mutter inaudible to myself when I walked through the metal halls of the ship. I kicked open the door to my room and slammed it shut behind me. While rolling my shoulders I paced through the room. "Maybe this whole thing was a mistake. Maybe I was better off at home." I conjured flames in my hands, letting it erupt in a ring of fire around me. "I'm sick of his selfishness." I quickly turned around and cleaved the air in two when I brought down my flaming foot. But then I remembered, he didn't choose to leave home, he was banished and burnt by his own father.

For the second time there was a knock on my door. I did not feel like talking. "What.?" I yelled, letting a flame ignite in my hand, ready to continue.

"Open this door." The familiar voice of the prick prince sounded.

"I thought you were to good for my company. _Prince_ Zuko." I spat as I opened the door. Immediately regretting the disrespect. "Err, my apologies, my prince." I hastily added, remembering just who he was.

I saw how anger crept up on his face, darkening his amber eyes. "When you joined my ship you said you'd help me regain the honour that I unrighteously lost, swearing yourself to me." He said through his teeth. "Did you forget that, _soldier_.?" emphasizing the last word.

"No, of course not, my Prince." I straightened my face and bowed to him.

"Good, and to help you remember you'll be my personal guard and sparring dummy." I could hear him smirk. "I expect you to follow me anywhere at any time, until I said otherwise."

"Yes, my Prince." I said, my head still down.

I quickly put on my uniform and followed the prince to the highest point of the ship, outside the command tower. I stood beside the door as he walked to the railing and looked out over the cold sea of the South Pole. He just stood there, staring. It seemed like hours went by. I watched how the sun plunged into the sea, colouring the sky orange and red. How can someone stand so still for such a long time.?

Eventually, when the moon started to show and the stars to shine, footsteps echoed through the stairwell behind me.

"I'm going to bed." Iroh's voice sounded when he came through the door, yawning and stretching. "A man needs his rest." his face changed when he didn't get any reply. "Prince Zuko, you need to sleep. Even if you're right, even if the Avatar has returned, you won't find him. Your father, grandfather and great grandfather all tried and failed."

"Because their honour didn't depend on it," His voice was hoarse from hours of silence, he turned around to face his Uncle. "mine does." His eyes glanced over to me, my eyes shifted to him as well. He looked tired.

Iroh followed Zuko's glance. "Oh, did you two make up after all.?"

"I thought you were going to bed, Uncle." Zuko turned around again, clearly not going to sleep any time soon.

"Everyone needs sleep, Nephew. Soldiers included." Iroh took one last look over the sea. "Good night." Soon enough we heard his sounds die with the shutting of a door.

"You can go." Zuko said after a long while, never taking his eyes off the horizon. "I want you up at dawn for sparring."

"Yes, my Prince." I bowed lightly, even if he couldn't see. "Good night." I said softly and before I turned to leave, I met his amber eyes for a brief moment.

* * *

I dropped down on my mattress, it was thick and hard, nothing like the one I had back home. Home, I never felt at home in the house where I grew up. Well, maybe I did but I couldn't remember it. When I was just a little girl my father died, some say it was an accident, some say he was ill for a long time, and others say he was killed by an earthbender when he went to visit Omashu for business. After that mother became unstable.

When we came home after the funeral, mother started to scream at my brother. She said he looked too much like father with those burning amber eyes. She was about to burn out his eyes and when I tried to stop her, she burnt me instead. She broke down and apologised over and over again, but a few days later she came into my room at night and did it again. It seemed the only thing that could take her mind of burning her husband's eyes out of her son, was to burn me instead.

I was glad she hurt me and not him. But when he left home she didn't stop, it only got worse. As soon as I could I joined the Fire Navy, that way I would be rid of her and she had no one else to hurt. She screamed at me when I told her I was leaving, she would be ashamed to call me her daughter, she would disown me and pretend I never existed. I was fine with that, even if it meant I would never see home again.

The only thing I enjoyed from that time were the times I could slip away from her. I would play with my friends and sometimes even with the royal children. We would practise our firebending or play tag. One time the Fire Princess put an apple on a friend's head and lit it on fire. Zuko ran to the girl and they both fell into the fountain. The Royal Family was happy back then, General Iroh was laying siege to Ba Sing Se, Fire Lord Azulon ruled over the Fire Nation and everything was at peace at the palace. But that all changed when Lu Ten, Iroh's son was killed during the war at Ba Sing Se. It is said that Prince Ozai murdered his wife and his father and when Iroh wasn't deemed fit to be the next Fire Lord, Ozai was the next in line. Azula was happier than ever and Zuko was just as miserable as I was, he and I became friends.

A few year later Zuko was allowed to attend a war meeting with the generals and his father. He spoke out of line and had to fight in an Agni Kai as punishment. It was against the general he had disrespected, or so everyone though. I was there the day of the fire duel, I was there when the Fire Lord showed no mercy to his son. The Prince had disrespected his father when he spoke his mind in the meeting. Zuko refused to fight and begged for his father to see it from his point. But the Fire Lord burnt and banished his son to teach him the lesson of respect. He was only to return when he found the Avatar, only then the Fire Lord would restore his name and title. I forfeited my position as Captain in the Navy when I choose to join the Prince in his search.

* * *

"Again." Iroh said stern. Zuko had just preformed an exercise Iroh instructed him to do. The prince, another soldier and I all shifted into battle stance. Again Zuko shot fire from his fists to both the soldier and I. He turned to dodged the flames I sent his way. The other soldier jumped to the Prince to deliver a fiery kick, but Zuko jumped out of the way.

Iroh sighed. "No! Power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles." He got up. "The breath becomes energy, the energy extents past your limps and becomes fire." He moved his arms from his gut to his face and punched his fist in the air in front of Zuko, making fire fly around the Prince. "Get it right this time!"

"Enough." Zuko took a few step to his Uncle. "I've been drilling the same sequence all day, I'm ready for the next step."

"No!" Iroh said again, I saw how Zuko's eyes became dangerously dark again. "You are impatient, you have yet to master your basics. Do it again!" Iroh commanded.

I heard Zuko grind his teeth with fury. He turned around, eyeing me for a split second before he kicked a ball of fire my way, I wasn't fast enough to block it. It hit me right in the chest, scorching my training robes. I groaned softly, lying on the deck.

"The sages tell that the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now, he's had a century to master the elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to capture him." A pause and steps sounded on the metal when Iroh didn't answer. "You will teach me the next step!" Zuko shouted at his Uncle.

I got up and saw the two of them locked in a death glare. Iroh broke first. "Very well." He finally said. "But not today." He turned away from his nephew, leaving the deck and taking the other soldier with him.

Some time had passed. The Prince stood only a few paces away from me.

"What's that.?" I heard Zuko say, it was barely more than a whisper to himself. I looked up at the darkening sky, there was a burning light. "It's a flare!" He exclaimed after using the telescope. "It's him, the last airbender. Quite agile for his old age. Get my uncle!" He commanded a soldier who stood not far from us. "Tell him I found the Avatar." Zuko said, continuing to look through the telescope. "As well as his hiding place." He added after a second with a grin.

All the ice and snow around us was so bright, it was almost blinding. "Kunari!" Zuko yelled at me, clearly I didn't hear him call me for the first time. "Stop daydreaming and help me with my armour."

I followed him to his room and I took his chest piece first, it fit perfectly around his broad chest and I tied the strings at the sides to keep it in place. Next there were his shoulder pads, I put his head through the hole in the middle and tied that in places as well. The last thing was his helmet, it was almost the same as the soldiers helmet, the only difference was that his didn't have a skull mask and it didn't have horns but a flame shape on the front.

"You're coming with me." Zuko said after I noted that I was done.

"Yes, Prince Zuko." We waited a few minutes before we saw the village emerge from the mists, how the helmsman knew it was there was a mystery for me. The ship ploughed a path through the frozen water and halted after breaking through the village's snowy wall. Slowly the bow of the ship lowered, making a bridge for us.

There was a boy in front of us, he had warpaint on his face. His family and friends were only a few meters away, they looked so scared. I followed the prince out, feeling the cold air kiss my face, I never wore a helmet, it was so uncomfortable.

Half way down the landing ramp the boy with the warpaint came running at Zuko, he had some kind of watertribe sword in hand. He screamed when he was about to bring it down, but Zuko kicked the sword out of the boy's hand and gave him another kick to the head, making him fall off the metal bridge. The other villagers, all women and children, gasped. It seems that the boy was the only warrior they had.

Zuko stopped in front of the group, pacing from left to right. "Where are you hiding him.?" He asked, no one answered. He stood in front of a girl with bright blue eyes, she was hugging the arm of an elderly woman next to her. Zuko eyed them for a moment, then he suddenly grabbed the old woman.

"He's about this age, master of all the elements." Still no one said a word, he pushed the woman back to the girl. He took a deep breath, his arm made a crescent from left to right, leaving a path of fire. But before the flames could reach them I stepped back, pulling the fire with me ever so slightly. The people still let out gasps and screams but no one got hurt, and no one noticed my interference.

Screams caught our attention, the warrior with the warpaint had recovered and made his way to the prince again. This time I stepped in front of the boy before he could reach Zuko. He stopped dead in his tracks, but he made up his mind quickly. He ran at me, full speed ahead. I grabbed the wrist that was holding the sword.

"Drop it." I said, I saw how his eyes widened when he saw I was a woman. He didn't drop it, though. I twisted the boy's wrist slightly, he grimaced with pain and he dropped the sword.

The people began to cheer when a young boy with an arrow on his head came sledding down the snowy hill on a penguin, making me step back from the warrior who quickly ran to his family.

"Hey Katara, Hey Sokka." The boy said to the warrior and the blue eyed girl.

"Hi, Aang," Warrior Sokka said, it sounded almost sarcastic. "Thanks for coming."

The arrow boy, Aang as it seemed, turned to us as we surrounded him, holding a staff out in front of him. I took out my katana and shield, I used them together with my firebending. Aang took a deep breath and slammed the staff on the ground, making snow fly up, blinding us.

"Looking for me.?" He asked when the snow cleared.

"You're the airbender.? You're the Avatar.?" Zuko asked surprised. The boy seemed only about fourteen years old. "I've spent years preparing for this. Training, meditating, but you're just a child!" Zuko started to get angry, how could the long lost Avatar be only a little boy.?

"Well, you're just a teenager." Aang the Avatar countered, they were walking in circles, trying to get the other one to attack. At that moment Zuko blasted a fire ball at the boy, but he used his staff as a repelling shield. I saw how he glanced at the people behind him, they were scared and cowered away from the fire. He stopped fighting.

"If I go with you, do you promise to leave everyone alone.?" He asked, Zuko stood up straight and nodded. I quickly took the Avatar's staff and pushed him toward the ship.

"No! Aang, don't do this!" The girl said pleading.

"It's alright, Katara. Don't worry." The boy looked behind him. "Take care of Appa for me until I get back!"

"Set course to the Fire Nation, I'm going home." Zuko yelled at the helmsmen.

* * *

Zuko had taken the staff from me and examined it when we stood on the deck.

"This will make an excellent gift for my father." He said as I was tying the Avatar's hands behind his back. "I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks." He added after a moment of thought. "Take the Avatar to the prison hold. And take this to my quarters." The prince added, handing the staff to Iroh.

"Mind taking this to his quarters for me.?" I heard Iroh asked a soldier as I pushed the Avatar below deck.

"So," The Avatar said once below deck. "I guess you never fought an airbender before, I bet I can take you with my hands tied behind my back."

"Shut up, boy." I said silently, opening the door to his cell. I pushed him inside but before I could close the door and lock it, a gust of wind knocked me back and he ran past me. I quickly ran after him.

"The Avatar has escaped!" I shouted as soon as I was on deck again and ran after him into the cabin and straight to Zuko's room.

"Go away, he's mine." Zuko whispered to me when he saw me.

"Stop thinking you don't need help!" I said back.

"Leave!" He said harsh. I made a disapproving sound and left him there. When I walked back out on the deck. I saw flames light Zuko's room, clearly they were fighting, then it was dark. After a while the Avatar and Zuko crashed down on the deck from above. Instinctively I glanced up to see where they came from.

Just as Zuko and I were about to attack the airbender, a roar sounds through the air.

"What is that.?" Zuko asked, looking at a giant flying animal.

"Appa!" Aang yelled, he almost wasn't quick enough to block my flames. He jumped away from me, but as he landed Zuko shot fire bolt at him, knocking his staff from his hands. He jumped back again, standing on the railing and no were to go. Zuko and I shot fire at him at the same time, making it impossible for him to block or jump out of the way. He fell into the water.

I ran to the railing, hearing the girl on the flying beast yell his name. Suddenly a blue light shone under water. A tornado of water surfaced, the Avatar's eyes and tattoo's were glowing, he was bending the water around him. The tornado guided him to the ship. The boy knocked us off our feet with the water.

Just before Zuko went overboard I grabbed his hand, turning on my back and grabbing a robe before he can take me with him into the sea. I could feel my shoulder almost pop out of its socket.

"Climb up." I manage to say between gasps, closing my eyes to focus and not let the Prince go. By the time he finally stood on the deck again and I sat against the railing, we saw the beast, Appa, fly away.

"Lets shoot them down!" Zuko yelled. Together with a soldier Zuko charged a fire attack and shot a huge fire ball to them. But before it hit, the airbender conjured a gust of wind, knocking the ball into an ice berg. A wave of ice and snow buried half of the ship.

"Dig out the ship and follow them!" The prince commanded after we had recovered. "We can't let him escape."The soldiers went to work immediately.

Zuko walked over to me, helped me get up and leaded me toward the command tower by my good shoulder. "What are you doing, I have to help with the ice." I said, almost tripping over the Prince when I wanted to walk the other way.

"You need your shoulder looked at. The others can take care of digging out the ship." He said, he guided me to the command tower.

When we came to the Hospital Room, one of the doctors ushered us in and put me on a bed in the corner.

"Thank you." Zuko said softly when the doctor went to get supplies from a metal closet. "If you hadn't taken the risk of falling with me, I would have been swimming right now. I'm sorry you got hurt, though." he looked uncomfortable, pacing from side to side before he sat down on the end of the bed.

I was a bit surprised, it had been a very long time since I heard Zuko thank anyone let alone apologise. "I'm your personal guard remember.? I'm supposed to protect you from harm, even if it's a drop in the water."

"Right, about that, I thin-" Zuko stopped mid sentence when the doctor came back. "Uh, I'll go help on deck." He said hesitant and left.

The doctor examined my shoulder and said I had to have my arm in a sling for at least a fortnight, no bending, no lifting. My shoulder needed rest.

I was still frowning when I came to the deck, everyone was helping to dig out the ship. Some were hacking and chopping with swords and others were melting it away with firebending. The doctor did say no bending but I could do it with just one hand.

It took us a while before everything was cleared of ice. "It looks like we do need to make some repairs." I said to Zuko. I heard a sound coming from him that sounded like growling, he did not like to waste time.

"Set course to the nearest harbour!"


	2. Chapter II: The fish

** Reviews and pointers are always welcome ofcourse. I hope you enjoy.**

**Obviously I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I only made up the OC, Kunari.**

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**Chapter II: The fish**

I felt an icy touch creep over my body. How was that possible.? It was very rare for me to be cold, but this was a cold I had never felt before. I tried to open my eyes but couldn't, just couldn't get them open. It was like something prevented it.

I brought my hand to my face, my fingers didn't feel my skin, they were numb. My fingers were wet, I brushed my cheek against my shoulder to clear away the wetness. I reached out my arms, they didn't go far out. There was a wall blocking my way, I put my hands against it and pushed. Nothing happened. I turned around and did the same on that side. Nothing happened. I reached above me, there was nothing stopping me there, but I did feel something run down my sleeve.

Suddenly my eyes jerked open, I was surrounded by ice. Everywhere on the cold walls were smears of blood, my blood. I looked down at my hands, there was no skin left on them, they were black and bloodied. Every time I had put my hands against the ice, my skin froze to the ice and ripped the skin from my flesh.

I brought my them to my mouth and used my fiery breath to bring life back to them. But nothing happened. I stomped my foot on the cold floor, wanting to create a ring of fire. Again, nothing happened. If I was unable to bend, how was I supposed to get out of that prison.?

I squeezed my eyes shut, when I opened them again the ice was gone. My mother's burning brown eyes bored into mine. I stepped back and fell into frigid water. I struggled to keep my head above the surface but it was no use, I felt the water pull me down under. The last thing I saw were amber eyes looking down into the water as I sank to the bottom.

"Kunari, wake up." A calm voice urged me. "Wake up!" It became more forceful, shaking my body.

I let out a gasp, rolled off the mattress and jumped up, ready to attack the intruder. "Wha- Iroh.?" I lowered my arms when brown amber eyes looked fearfully at me. "What are you doing here.?" The words rolled out of my mouth before I could think about it.

"You were screaming." He stated, taking my hands and pulling me down to sit. "You probably woke the entire ship." The General's eyes looked worried.

"Oh." I looked down at my hands, remembering the nightmare. Iroh didn't move, he was clearly waiting for me to talk. "Uh, I don't remember." I lied to the old man, it made me feel horrible.

"You should go back to sleep, it's still dark outside." He said to me, gently patting my cheek. Iroh got up and left after wishing me a good night.

I looked at my bed, all tossed up and messy. I put on my boots and walked to the deck, there was a light breeze greeting me. I dragged my hand over the railing, almost expecting a trail of blood. The metal floor was hard when I sat down and looked up to the sky, the darkness with the glistening dots looked so peaceful.

* * *

I woke up in my room the next morning, all tucked in and warm. In the afternoon we sailed into an Earth Kingdom harbour.

"I want the repairs made as quickly as possible." Zuko said, walking over the metal landing bridge the ship's bow made. "I don't want to stay to long and risk losing his trail."

"You mean the Avatar.?" Iroh asked, walking next to his nephew.

"Don't mention him by that name on these docks."The Prince said through his teeth. "Once word gets out that he's alive, every firebender will be out looking for him. And I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what.?" A deep voice asked. "Prince Zuko." It added as a man I knew all to well walked toward us.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko said almost hateful, crossing his arms at his chest.

"It's Commander now." Zhao said, smirking at the scarred boy. "And General Iroh, great hero of our nation." He made a bow for the old general. I looked away from Zhao, I didn't have a single fond memory of the man, he was my father's brother and my uncle. He was never kind, he was a selfish man. I remember when I walked in on him and my mother, her face was red and her skirts were lifted. That was the day I ran and signed up for the Navy, I would not live in a house with that man.

"Yes, you wouldn't believe what happened!" Zuko exclaimed, bringing me back to the conversation. It was quiet for a moment. "Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened."

"Yes. I will do that." Iroh replied after a glance at his nephew. "It was incredible. What, did we crash or something.?" He asked.

"Yes." I said, attracting unwanted attention to me but those two would just go on and on, getting the other one to explain. "Right into an Earth Kingdom ship."

"Really." Zhao eyed me for a moment. "You must regale me with all the thrilling details, Prince Zuko." His eyes shifted to the amber eyed prince. "Join me for a drink.?" he asked.

"Sorry, but we have to go." Zuko said and walked away from the Commander.

"Prince Zuko." Iroh said, putting a hand on the prince's shoulder to prevent him from walking any further. "Show Commander Zhao your respect." He turned to Zhao. "We would be honoured to join you. Do you have any Ginseng tea.?"

I heard Zuko let out a low growl when Iroh was guided to the Commander's tent. The Earth Kingdom harbour was also a naval base for the Fire Nation's fleet. The whole area was filled with tents and fires.

"That's a nice world map you have there, Commander." Iroh said admiring a huge, painted map on the wall after we had settled. The General had his tea, Zuko was being awfully quiet and I stood next to his chair, my hand on my katana, just in case.

"Thank you, we have taken a great deal of the south, and by year's end the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule. The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war." Zhao said turning his back to us as he looked at the map himself.

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool." The prince said, watching the Commander take the chair next to him.

"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." Zhao narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zuko. "So, how is your search for the Avatar going.?" He obviously knew there was something going on.

"We haven't found him yet." I said before Zuko could. "He died a hundred years ago, along with all the other Air Nomads." I saw Zuko glance away from me when I lied, Zhao saw it too.

"It seems our Prince doesn't agree with that." He got up and stood before me, glaring. "The Avatar is the only one who can stop us from winning this was, if you have any information of his where about, I suggest you tell me."

"We haven't found anything, Commander Zhao." Zuko said, he stood up from his chair, almost knocking it over. "It's like my Captain said, the Avatar died long ago."

We were about to leave when a soldier came in. "Commander Zhao, we have interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed, Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody. But let him escape."

"Remind me again, how was your ship damaged.?" The Commander asked.

I saw how Zuko battled with himself, should he tell that the Avatar is alive.? "We found an airbender." He began hesitant.

"Zuko." I hissed at him, and when Zhao looked at me I noticed I slipped with the title.

"An airbender, interesting, very interesting considering they all died a hundred years ago. Didn't they, Kunari.?" Zhao touched my shoulder, causing me to close my eyes just a moment to drive away the image of him and my mother.

"Commander, the crew said it was a fourteen year old boy, the Avatar. He was definitely an airbender and he had tattooed arrows on his head, hands and feet." The soldier said. I was starting to hate that man.

"A fourteen year old boy bested you and your firebenders, you're more pathetic than I thought." Zhao said, lowering his head to Zuko's eye level.

"I underestimated him once, it won't happen again." Zuko spat to him.

"No it will not. Because you won't have a second chance." The Commander paced through the tent. I only noticed now that Iroh had been quiet for a very long time. I saw him still drinking tea, his eyes peaked over the cup, following everything.

"I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I-"

"And you failed!" The Commander interrupted the prince, losing his cool. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave to a youth such as yourself. He's mine now."

Zuko flew at Zhao, but before he could touch the man in front of us, I put my hand on his chest. "He's not worth it." I whispered to him. In frustration Zuko kicked the small table, making cups and tea fly everywhere.

"More tea, please." Iroh said after a second of watching the liquid drip in a pool. If the prince kept being so hot headed, Zhao would take him prisoner and take him back home. But not the way Zuko wanted it.

The two were locked in a glare for a minute. "My search party is ready." Zhao said after a soldier whispered something in his ear. "Once I'm out on the sea my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to leave."

"Why.? Are you afraid I'm going to try and stop you.?" Zuko asked.

"You, stop me, impossible." The Commander laughed.

"Do not underestimate me, Zhao. I will capture the Avatar before you." Zuko said.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough!" Iroh said, trying to call his nephew down. He and I both saw where this was heading.

"You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command. And you, you are just a banished prince with just one ship, a traitor uncle and a burnt girl. No home, no allies, your own father doesn't even want you." Zhao eyed each of us as he mentioned us.

"You're wrong! Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honour and restore my rightful place on the throne." The Prince stood, standing tall and broad with his believe.

"If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now. Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation." Zhao was deliberately trying to provoke Zuko. "You have the scar to prove it." The last bit did it.

Zuko leaped forward. "Maybe you'd like one to match!" He said powerful, looking up at the Commander as he stood face to face with him. "An Agni Kai at sunset!"

"Very well."

I couldn't help but to think back at the last time Zuko fought a fire duel. I had watch how the Fire Lord put his hand on the Prince's face, scorching it with touch alone. When the flames came from the man's hand, the skin on Zuko's face seemed to melt, leaving blackened flesh out in the open.

"It's almost sunset, we should go." Iroh told us, setting his tea cup down and got up. Zhao had left a while ago, he said he needed to prepare. Zuko stood as well, turning to me when I didn't get up.

"Come on, Kunari." He said, motioning me to follow.

"I'm not coming." I said quietly, looking away from him and his uncle.

He was silent for a moment. "You think I'll lose.?" He questioned almost hurt.

"No, I think you will win. Zhao is way to confident and has a bad temper which will be fatal for him one day." I said, getting up from the chair.

"Then come." The prince tried again.

"No."

"I command you!" He suddenly almost yelled at me, he did not like it what I said next.

"I refuse."

Zuko was about to come at me when Iroh stopped him. "Leave it, Zuko." Iroh knew why I didn't want to come, I saw it in his eyes. "Let's go." They left after the prince gave me an angry look.

I sighed and walked back to the ship, I could do some training of my own. I set five long candles on the deck in front of me, sat down cross legged and closed my eyes. Images of the nightmare came back, rushing before my eyelids. After taking a deep breath I concentrated on the candles, hearing a soft _swoosh_ as they lit, making the cold ice of that night melt away. I focused on the flames, making them as long or short as I wanted them to be, but I had to shield them from the tugging winds as well. Slowly I opened my eyes, looking at the result while still fixed on the red flames. The outer two fires were long and thin, the inner two were very small, almost extinguished and the middle one was a fat flame. I gently breathed out, letting the flames go to their original size and eventually they were blown out by the wind.

* * *

We had been tracking the Avatar for almost a week, he kept bouncing from island to island, we had no idea where he was. Prince Zuko stood on the deck, hands on the railing and staring into the sea. Every day we didn't know where the Avatar was, Zuko got more depressed. He had dark circles under his eyes, he didn't eat much and at night I often heard him leave his room.

"We'll find him." I said, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just you wait."

"Then what.?" He said, not turning to me. "Every time we find him, we lose him again. And the one time I did have him, I underestimated him and he escaped. Maybe this was all a mistake."

Just over a week ago I had that same thought about coming with the Prince. "Everything will work out, Prince Zuko."

"Prince." He scoffed quietly. "Prince of what.?" His face looked sad when he turned, there was something in his eyes. Shame.? It took me back to the time when we were only about twelve years old, we were practising our bending. He made me tumble and I fell. I didn't bother to get up, the grass was so soft and the sight of the clouds was so peaceful. After a while he lay down next to me, he talked about his mother. She had disappeared a few days ago, his father was the new Fire Lord, he was the Crown Prince and his sister was jealous. His father was so proud of her, but it was almost as if he despised Zuko. There was a great sadness on the Prince's face when I had turned my head. I had taken his hand and told him everything would work out.

"Let's get some dinner." I took his hand again, I saw a small smile curls his lips and he nodded.

The cook set down a roasted fish on the table. "The fish trader said this one came from the island of Kyoshi." He said, looking at the Prince. "He also said an airbender and his friends are staying there."

"The Avatar.?" Zuko asked. "Ready the rhinos, Kunari. He won't get away this time." He said, giving me a single nod.

"Yes, Prince Zuko." I took my bowl of rice and as I left the room, I heard them argue about who would eat the fish.

Kyoshi was a beautiful island. It was said that the last Avatar of the Earth Kingdom had used her bending to break this island off the main land. She did it to protect her people and so it was named in her honour.

"Come out, Avatar. You can't hide from me forever." Zuko's voice carried through the empty village. "Find him." He commanded the other rhino riders when it stayed silent.

Just as we were about to follow them, we heard grunts and fighting. A girl with make up and green dress armour sped toward us with metal fans at the ready. Zuko turned his rhino around, the tail swept the girl from the air as she jumped at him. He shot fire at her but the boy from the South Pole, Sokka, blocked it with a fan. My lips curled into a laugh when I saw he too was wearing make up and a dress armour.

Just as Zuko was about to attack again, he was pushed off his rhino by another warrior. I quickly got off as well, readied my katana and shield and bashed the warrior girl off the prince. Sokka and the other warrior were ready to attack when Zuko got up, swirling his feet in the air and making a fiery ring, knocking them off their feet.

I looked around the village, everything was set ablaze by our fighting. That was the only thing the war did, destroying everything. I felt a wave of doubt run through me, if the Avatar was captured, the Fire Nation would win the war. But winning the war meant even more destruction and death.

"Hey! Over here." The Avatar yelled, staff in hand. Zuko immediately shot streams of fire at the boy, not caring for the people of the village. I made a decision that moment.

I charge at one of the warriors who just got back up and bashed her away, against the prince, making them both fly into a building.

"Leave this island." I said to the Avatar when he was about to attack me. "Look around." I gestured to all the burning houses and scared people that left their homes. "Zuko will leave Kyoshi to follow you."

I saw how the boy looked around and horror struck his face. He still seemed hesitant, after all I was Fire Nation. He quickly nodded and yelled to his friends to get to Appa.

Zuko emerged from the building and ordered us back to the ship when he saw the beast fly over.

When we got back, the Avatar was already gone from our sight.


End file.
